My Little Angel
by Shade the Hero
Summary: He wants to help so badly, but there is nothing he can do. It's a waiting game and Cloud is losing.


_Hello everyone! I'm happy to say that updates are once again in the works. I took a small break because it was badly needed, but after my birthday which is very very close, I'll be finishing the updates that are well over half-way done. This include many titles that you guys like. Especially Strife SG-1 which is long overdue. Kindred Spirits, Brothers in Arms, Present from the Past and Special Delivery are all getting updates written. I'm also planning on writing an update for Fool's Checkmate which really needs an update, but I just need to re-watch a few Code Gease episodes first. ;)_

_This story was inspired by a talk my Mom had with me about the day I was born. With my birthday coming up I couldn't help but think of a few other characters and their B-days. That's when the cogs in my head started working and I came up with this. Hope you all enjoy._

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><p><strong>My Little Angel<strong>

He just couldn't understand it. He had fought countless battles before, gone up against impossible odds and defeated the most powerful of opponents at least three times. So why was he completely powerless now? Why couldn't he do anything to help this time? It wasn't fair. It wasn't right and it was driving him crazy. Never before had he felt so useless. Well, there had been a few times, but nothing like this. This was completely different. He wasn't trapped, he wasn't under someone else's control and he wasn't locked up. He was free and perfectly sane...well as sane as he could be under such stress. In fact the only thing that was keeping him from barging in to that room was a spiky-haired ex-SOLDIER. Said SOLDIER was standing in front of the closed door with his arms crossed.

"You're driving me crazy Spike, calm down!"

"Can't," was all he said as he began another lap of nervous pacing.

Zack let out a defeated sigh. "Cloud, it'll be fine, you'll see."

"but what if it's not? What if she needs me? All of my experience, all of my skills, all of my strength...what good does it do me if I can't use it to help her?"

Zack tried not to laugh at his friend, but it was a respectful humor. The man pacing before him had gone through so much, lost so much and faught harder than anyone to protect what was important to him.

"I don't think swinging a sword would help in this situation, buddy."

Cloud stopped pacing and gently pounded the far wall before pressing his forehead against it.

"...I know. I just hate feeling so useless. My conscience is screaming at me to be in there. Even if I can't do anything, maybe just being there will help. Maybe I could give my strength to her somehow."

Zack was about to tell him that it didn't work that way when a pain-filled scream sounded through the door.

In that instant Zack had to piratically launch himself at Cloud to hold him back as the blonde charged for the door.

"Calm down, Spiky! It's perfectly normal."

"The **hell** it is! Let me go!"

"Sorry, I can't do that. Aerith made me promise and you know how she gets when you break one of her promises."

The two struggled, but Zack managed to hold Cloud back, that is until another scream vibrated through the door. That scream was almost like a power boost for Cloud and he pushed forward with twice as much effort. It took Zack everything he had to hold him back.

"You have to calm down! She's gonna be fine!"

How Zack managed to hold his ground he had no idea but as the minutes ticked by the blonde swordsman seemed to calm down. That or he had run out of strength. Cloud slowly ended up on his knees and stared at the floor.

"What if I lose her?"

Zack let out another sigh before kneeling down to be eye level with his best friend.

"Is that what you're worried about?"

Cloud nodded. "For the past few months I've been having the same nightmare. Something goes wrong and I lose her. If something does happen it'll be all my fault. Who knows what that psycho really did to me? What if I hurt her? What if...OW!"

Zack flicked him hard in the nose while giving him a pouty look.

"You whine worse than a little kid. Tifa is gonna be just fine. She's tough as hell for starters. And don't you forget I went through the same hell you did. Sure you suffered mako poisoning, but only because you didn't already have it coursing through your system. And you came out of it right? So, your natural genes are strong enough and guess what Spike, you just passed them on. That means that little twerp in there also has stubbornness wired into their system. Why are you getting yourself stuck in this mindset anyway? Don't you remember that physical you had over at Reeve's place? The doc there said you were just fine and that nothing in your system could harm the baby. Not unless you're suggesting there's something wrong with Tifa."

"Of course not!" Cloud quickly countered.

"Okay then, stop beating yourself up over this."

"I'm...sorry. It's just...I have a chance to have a family again and...I'm scared. I don't want to lose it. Not again."

Zack smirked at him. "You won't. You're not some underdog infantryman or clumsy cadet like you were in those days. You're skills are equal and even better than a First Class SOLDIER and nothing can stop you once you set your mind to it."

Cloud offered Zack one of his rare smiles. "Thanks."

"Pfft, what are best friend for?"

Another cry came from the room and Cloud froze. It didn't sound like Tifa this time. It sounded...smaller.

The door opened and Aerith stepped out into the hall. She had a mask over her face and her hair was tied back. She had been in there with Tifa along with the doctor and nurses. "You can go in now."

A few minutes ago Cloud wanted nothing more than to charge right in, but now he felt hesitant. He was afraid, but of what he didn't know. Taking a deep, shaky breath he exhaled and step by step, slowly made his way inside.

What he saw dispelled any fear or doubts he had just seconds ago. Tifa was laying in the bed holding something close to her. It was wrapped up in a small pink blanket. She looked up at him with tired eyes, but her smile was warm and full of joy.

"Come and meet your daughter, Cloud."

He closed the gap between them and looked down at the little bundle of joy. Tifa carefully handed her to him. "Watch her head."

Cloud did watch her. Every beautiful ounce of her. The bundle of joy in his arms was so precious he felt like he had just accomplished the world. He hadn't ever remembered a time when he felt such a warm feeling. For this one moment, everything was perfect. This little angel in his arms was all the proof that he needed to know that there was always a bright new dawn awaiting on the horizon.

Everything about her was perfect. That cute little nose, those small hands that had locked onto his finger, those rosy cheeks and he couldn't help but smile at her hair which was already a tell-tale sign that she was going to be just as blonde as him. But it was something else that melted his heart. His little baby girl opened her eyes and looked at him. they were the softest shade of blue, as blue as the morning sky.

Tifa just sat back and watched the scene before her. She secretly wondered if he knew how big his smile was, when when their daughter opened her eyes and looked at him, she looked at cloud in amazement as she watched a tear roll down his face. She had never seen Cloud cry before.

It was then that one of the nurses approached. "So mommy and daddy, have we decided on a name yet?"

Cloud hadn't even begun to think of names and any he had chosen didn't seem perfect enough for her.

"Cirrus."

Cloud looked over at Tifa. "What?"

"Her name is Cirrus," Tifa repeated. Cloud knew that tone and knew it meant there was no changing her mind.

"What does it mean?" he asked.

Tifa only gave him a mischievous grin, "Cirrus is a type of cloud."

Now it was his turn to give her a look, "_Tifa~_,"

Cloud blinked as little Cirrus made a small giggling sound before reaching up one of her hands for his spiky hair. He smiled before letting her pull on one of the spikes.

"Now don't get used to this," He told her. "You can get away with this stuff now, but just wait a few years."

Zack chuckled from his spot at the door. "Oh please, you're gonna spoil her rotten and you know it."

"Oh no he's not," replied Tifa. "She's gonna learn that you gotta earn what you get in life and you're going to make sure of it, Zachary Fair."

Zack blinked at hearing his full name. "What does that mean?" He looked from her to Cloud and back.

Tifa smiled at him. "Cloud and I want you to be her God Father."

Zack's jaw dropped. "Are you serious!?"

Cloud nodded, "And we want Aerith to be the God Mother."

Aerith gently clapped her hands together, "What an amazing honor! Thank you both."

Zack scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, that's...wow. That means a lot."

The second nurse stepped back into the room with a camera in her hands.

"Alright, who's ready for their first family photo?"

Tifa gently moved over a little to give Cloud room to sit down and lean close to her while still holding Cirrus. Aerith stood on the other side of the bed next to Tifa and Zack stood next to Cloud.

"Now everyone ready? Say cheese!"

"Cheese!"

The picture snapped and everyone had big smiles, even Cloud, but he wasn't looking at the camera. His gaze was focused on his little angel.

_Fin~_

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><p><em>Yeah, the ending was kinda quick, but I didn't think it needed to be dragged out. It's just a happy moment for these lovely characters. I hope you enjoyed. ^_^<em>


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